Do you know the story of how I first found out about ERGs? For those who don't know, here’s some context.

When I started in the ERG space, or even before I found out about it, I was a support agent. This was definitely an entry-level role I’d honestly stumbled upon. Being a textbook overachiever, I quickly shined in my role. I’m competitive in the best and sometimes the worst ways

Excelling in my role, I quickly became the shining star of the team, but it got boring. I finished my work faster than others and started looking for ways to keep myself busy. One thing I did was start a newsletter for the support department. Major throwback! Honestly, I forgot about it until I prepped for this newsletter.

I started the newsletter and formed a committee to help with segments. We even had a podcast that I ran. I thought running that newsletter would show the higher-ups I was ready for more, but I was passed up for promotions repeatedly. Eventually, I had to get real about my future at the company.

I searched the company’s intranet for benefits to maximize before leaving. When I typed "resources," I found a list of groups. I was so confused when I saw it—what was this? We often don’t realize how foreign the concept of ERGs is to people outside our realm. I had never heard of an ERG before. When I saw "Black at DoorDash," I was perplexed. There weren’t many Black people in the support org- and I certainly didn’t know that there were many outside of the support org..

I immediately joined the Slack channel, saw an upcoming meeting, and attended it. They were looking for volunteers to be a chair of the ERG. I didn’t know what an ERG was or if I was qualified to lead one, but I knew I had to be part of it.

That’s how I first found out about my first ERG.

Yes, it was an intranet page. I get it, they’re a pain to update, but imagine—I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for that page.

Reflecting on my experience, here are a few key learnings:

1️⃣ Check for Separate Intranets: Just because your ERG is on an intranet doesn’t mean it’s on all of the company’s intranets. Make sure there’s something linking out to your ERGs, especially if separate intranets exist. Ideally, have logos of all your ERGs in one picture that links out, says "Join our ERGs," and gives a clear call to action.

2️⃣ Ensure your ERG Has Clear and Descriptive Names: Names should be clear on who they’re meant to serve. "Black at DoorDash" was unmistakable—I knew it was for Black people, aka me. Some ERG names are more obscure, and if it’s not clear who they’re serving, consider a rebrand to make it easier for people to find and recognize your ERG. If your name is a bit obscure, make sure your logos are very clear.

3️⃣ Include a Clear Call to Action: Your intranet page should have a clear call to action like "Join here" or "Get involved." Listing a point of contact isn’t enough. This is based on best business practices—just like a clear "Shop here" button on a retail site, you need a clear call to action on your intranet page.

I talk more about this in our resource of the week—a recorded intranet training I did early last year at a conference.

Someone recently told me they remembered when I did this live on LinkedIn, before the intranet presentation happened. It was almost like a teaser, rough but interesting, and they found it helpful even after re watching it recently.

Some of my perspectives on ERGs have changed since then, but the material is still valuable.

I’ll catch you next week✌️

The ERG Homegirl

That’s it for this week! 🙌

Weeks of consistent newsletters: 4 🎊